Zress'Xundus
Buried deep within the treacherous, neverending caverns of the Night Below, lies a city cloaked in shadow and death: Zress'Xundus. Home to dozens of vicious, crimson-eyed Drow and their slaves, the very sight of the buildings creeping up in the distance in the eyes of a lost traveler is enough to send them into panic, for once an outsider lays their eyes on Zress'Xundus, they may never again lay their eyes on the sunny lands above. ---- Guidelines of Zress'Xundus These guides, while based on a number of Forgotten Realms resources, are guides for role-playing a drow character here, at Myth Drannor. One of the most valuable resources seen on a number of internet role-playing forums is information relating to how drow are to be played on that particular server. This is essential. These are not rules, but guides, based on a long time playing here and understanding the dynamics of this particular server. As guidelines, they should inform the players, the Dungeon Masters and the Administrators alike. The guides are intended to be helpful and not to be a straight-jacket used to restrict role-play. However, it should be recognised that those who act contrary to them ought to be challenged, both in-game and by DM’s, and appropriate action ought to be taken. These guidelines are to be taken as a whole. Please, do not take one part of them and make it “the principle.” You will find checks and balances and these are essential. The Importance of Rank and Status 1. The drow society of Zress'Xundus is centred upon the worship of Lolth, the Spider Queen. Those who follow gods other than Lolth (and those aligned with her) will be viewed with suspicion, at least, if not open hostility, and are unlikely to find a place of any status in society. (There are other types of drow societies, within the Underdark, such as Sschamath, a city ruled by male wizards, where all worship especially that of Lolth, is disregarded by males and even openly opposed.) 2. As such, Zress'Xundus is a matriarchal society – that means that women rule. Particularly, this means that Matrons – mothers – of Houses rule their respective Houses absolutely. Their authority is not to be challenged by anyone, either male or female. The Matrons of the leading Houses form a Council to decide how best to run the drow city. 3. Status and Rank is vitally important, within drow society as a whole and within drow Houses, especially. The Matron Mother holds the highest rank. Below her, in rank order, are her born-daughters. These daughters also hold rank. Those who are clerics and who serve Lolth in the temples are ranked highest. The oldest born daughter, who is a priestess, holds the highest rank in the House. Age determines the other ranks. An exception to this is if the oldest daughter takes up a post in the Arach Tillinith, the School or Academy of Priestesses. Should this happen, although that daughter holds a higher rank in society in general, she would relinquish her rank in her House, for the time that she serves because she no longer lives in the House. All other born daughters are ranked below these. Most females in a House will be clerics. Some may be fighters. Some may even be sorcerers. Females do not become wizards generally, in drow society. Below these born-daughters are any females adopted into the House from the ranks of the commoners of drow society, or from among those females who, for one reason or another, have fled their own cities and seek refuge elsewhere. 4. Despite this, it is possible for a Matron to adopt any female, who would then automatically rank as First Daughter, and all other daughters, even born daughters, would move down one rank. An example of this is the adoption of the Matron of House Hunnett into House Do’Urden. This is exceptional, however. 5. Ranked below all the females in the House are the males. Males are ranked in simple order. The current Patron of the House, the male who currently shares the bed of the Matron, holds the highest rank. Below him is the First Son, and so on. Again, if males are elevated into the ranks of Masters of the various Academies, they gain status in drow society as a whole, but lose standing in their Houses by virtue of the fact that they no longer live in the House. 6. No House male outranks a House female. The exception is House slaves. House slaves are the lowest of the low and, while it is unusual for females to be slaves, especially gifted females, it is possible, under certain extreme circumstances. 7. No male may strike a female, except by direct command of his Ilharess. This even goes for house slaves. 8. Males who deliberately or carelessly offend a female are liable to be punished. The punishments vary from a tongue-lashing to serious physical punishment, even torture and death. The worst punishment is being offered to Lolth as a drider, to live the remains of one’s life as part drow, part spider. This is a fact of life in drow society. 9. Commoners hold no position in drow society. They are like cattle and can be treated as such. The Importance of Power and Usefulness 1. Having said that rank and status are important in drow society, the fact is that drow society is, by and large, pragmatic. It is driven by what is best for the individual, the House, and the society as a whole. For this reason, males can become immensely powerful within their Houses and within the wider society – but this is a power that is to be wielded with great care and discretion. 2. Perhaps the greatest example of this is Jarlaxle – thought by most to be nothing more than a rogue, a renegade drow who had abandoned his House and turned his back on “respectable” drow society. Jarlaxle wielded power of two sorts: first, he was a dealer in secrets and information; second, he had his own well-trained and well-equipped standing army. This gave him tremendous bargaining power – witness his almost rude treatment of Matron Do’Urden, in her own throne room. He carved a niche for himself by making himself indispensable. Jarlaxle was often employed to advise Matrons, because of the breadth of his knowledge. 3. Males who hold rank in the academies also hold power for this same reason. They are useful. The more useful they become, the more power they can wield. Witness the Faceless One, who was Master of Sorcere. For years, he had held a respectable position and wielded great power. Gomphe Baenre, too, is a classic example of this. Both were sought, often in secret, to give advice, even by Matrons of the highest ranked Houses. 4. Males, who do specific jobs in the House hierarchy, hold power. Zaknafein Do’Urden is a great example of this. He was the greatest weapon master in all Menzoberranzan, and, therefore, despite the fact that he had caused House Do’Urden great trouble for many years, the Priestesses of that House and even the Matron Mother were loathe to challenge him, even to discipline him. Such was his usefulness that he even drew blades on the First Daughter and was not disciplined for it. Zaknafein was frequently asked for his advice, even by the Matron of his House. 5. First Sons, especially, as well as patrons, can wield power, especially if they are the only sons of a House. Witness Dinin Do’Urden bursting into his Mother’s private rooms, when she was in council with her daughters, without knocking, and striding arrogantly up to his mother with neither a bow nor even an acknowledgement to her, or to his sisters. He had vital information to give and a vital role to play in that night’s coming battle, and, so, he had power to use. And he was bold in showing it. Dinin, of all the Housed male nobles, is the best example of a male who knew how to play on his usefulness, in order to carve a niche for himself. 6. So, in summary, males, who prove useful, can hold power in the House. However, this is always to be held in balance by the fact that they can, at almost any time, be punished, killed, or cursed as a drider, by virtually any female in their House. 7. The Honour of the House is all. Members List Sorted by house ranks and ranks within house. Gwenosef Matron: Feanora Gwenosef (Max Hatchet, active) Elderboy: Zeklyn'Zyr Noqu'Urden Gwenosef (killBastila, inactive) Weaponmater: Killian Gwenosef (StaurosMallack, active) Head of Trade: Alystin Gwenosef (inactive) Captain of the Guard: Walithra Gwenosef (_gny_, active) Nobles Hal'lath Gwenosef (Shneby, inactive) Xynlanthos Gwenosef (Terryll, active) Rilyn'ndar Matron: Mashrae Valrysn Rilyn'ndar (Toreavamp, active) High Priestess: Katya X'Liryu Rilyn'dar (Bromide350, active) Patron: Vyndel Rilyn'ndar (Caldur, semi-active) 1st daugher: Yathrin Xullria Rilyn'ndar (Dainty_delusive_doll, inactive) Weaponmaster: Veszyrr Rilyn'ndar (_Masquerade_, inactive) House Assasin: Sszaghar Rilyn'ndar (CloakandDagger22, active) Nobles Driln'n Dr'nkly Rilyn'ndar (Mutu, active) Yathrin Jhaelryna Rilyn'ndar (Mythalis, active) Ky'liiri Rilyn'ndar (Lanessar, inactive) Ist'eari Rilyn'ndar (ARedFox, inactive) Yathrin G’eldavin Rilyn’ndar (Abhoresen_, inactive) Soulafein Tir'ith Rilyn'ndar (Kelaratheal, inactive) Commoners Vorndorl d'Rilyn'ndar (Xun'aere, inactive) T'larryo Barra d'Rilyndar (ZhaunilJabbuk, active) Severin d'Rilyn'ndar (THX1139, inactive) Varantir d'Rilyn'ndar (Starry Ice, active) Properties Aunifeinne Kelmur'ss (Linnatha, inactive, property of Driln'n) Sreen'wun'bari (Shneby, semi-active, property of Driln'n) Valdur D'makiir (AshRosen, inactive, assumed to have escaped the house) Raja (Fury, active, tanarukk, property of Katya) Ak'tis Matron: Vi'alon Ak'tis (kurairyu, inactive) High Priestess: Chibish Ak'tis (Death0728, active) Commoners Risa Harada (evil_buu, inactive) Nadirra (Isis Aeil, semi-active) Lucellus Halicedril (dalexgray, semi-active) Xynlanthos Jr'einend (Terryll, active) Merenid Jhalavar (Steppenwolf MacGregor, semi-active) Tochka (active) Personalities Jaluken: Istorvir: A wily merchant and trader, Istorvir was a member of the network of the former Spymaster for Qu'ellar Nae'baran, Naral'dur. Usually to be found in the Market districh hawking indispensables, this cunning jaluk has survived through making himself absolutely indispensable to the economy of Zress. Killian: Meaning "the sword" in the tongue of Illythir, the Weaponmaster and Ilharn of Quellar Gwenosef is often called the "unruly" jaluk. Easily the elite warrior of the entire citadel, Killian has recently been trying to improve the trade relations of Qu'ellar Gwenosef, with mixed results. Drilyn: A former commoner, this jaluk was adopted into Qu'ellar Rilyn'ndar by Yathtallar Katya after an incident involving raids on slave caravans. Secrecy and cunning are his modus operandi. Naral'dur: The former spymaster of Qu'ellar Naebaran, this wily jaluk was exiled by Yathrin Katya after an incident involving the kidnapping of Ilharess Mashrae's children. Presumed dead, however his legacy lives on in the network of spies and informants he cultivated in his lifetime. Category:Place Category:Towns Category:Faction